Abortion is the termination of pregnancy from the uterus. The issue of abortion has become a conflict of interest due to the contention between the civil rights movement and women’s rights movement with each group having its own ideology to support its stand supporting or opposing the act (Sproul & Bailey, 2010). The emergency of two groups termed as the pro-life and the pro-choice, which argued on when does life begin and whose morals are adequate for the society led to the escalation of the conflict.
Hardening, according to Glasl’s escalation model is the first stage of a conflict whereby the differences over the conflict, in this case abortion proves to be rigid to resolution efforts being implemented to solve it leading to standpoints between the parties. This can be seen clearly from the post-Roe period where there was party rearrangement helping the escalation of the conflict between the Catholics who were Democrat’s. The conflict was due to the fact that democrats did not support abortion, and the evangelical Protestants who were Republicans were in favor of abortion. The Catholics were forced away from the party because the Protestants supported abortion and were campaigning for Richard Nixon 1972 hence; campaigning against them for they wanted nothing to do with that party (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2006). The escalation of the abortion issue can be traced to the question of when does life begin. The pro-life say that the start or instigation of life is not an ethical debate but rather a biological fact that supports that life begins at formation. This suggests that the privilege to live till natural death takes its course on someone with the pro- choice.
Nonetheless, it is the woman’s legitimate right to decide what affects and what not affects her own body. Moreover, it is argued that the fetus is not a human being living it, and it has no constitutional right as per the law making the question on when does life begin undermined as a religious inquiry.
In conclusion, it is clear that if the hardening continues, abortion will be a conflict that will be with us for a lengthy period of time. If none of the group is willing to compromise its tough standpoints, then no agreement will be reached. This means that the concern will never be solved for each group.
References
Sproul, R., & Bailey G..Abortion: A rational look at an emotional issue. US: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2010
U.S. National Library of Medicine. Prostin e2 (dinoprostone) Suppository. Pharmacia and
UpJohn Company: Rockville Pike, 2006
